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Polyphyly and species delimitation of Picea brachytyla (Pinaceae) based on population genetic data
Author(s) -
Lyu LeKe,
Wang DongLei,
Li Long,
Zhu YingYing,
Jiang DeChun,
Liu JianQuan,
Xu XiaoTing
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of systematics and evolution
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.249
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 1759-6831
pISSN - 1674-4918
DOI - 10.1111/jse.12584
Subject(s) - polyphyly , biology , endangered species , endemism , lineage (genetic) , evolutionary biology , population , range (aeronautics) , species distribution , species complex , minisatellite , ecology , phylogenetic tree , microsatellite , genetics , allele , clade , gene , demography , materials science , sociology , habitat , composite material
Accurate species delimitation is fundamental to biodiversity conservation. The endangered spruce Picea brachytyla (Franch.) E. Pritz. was suggested to be polyphyletic based on a limited number of samples in previous studies. To evaluate polyphyly of P. brachytyla , we sampled 139 individuals from 16 populations across most of its distributional range, plus representatives of two related species, Picea likiangensis (Franch.) E. Pritz. and Picea wilsonii Mast. We sequenced 13 nuclear loci and three chloroplast and two mitochondrial loci for the following species delimitation. Phylogenetic analyses of nuclear loci grouped all individuals of P. brachytyla from Sichuan and Chongqing into one distinct lineage and those from Yunnan and Tibet (southern distribution) nested within the P. likiangensis species complex. Structure analyses confirmed this result. Networks of chloroplast DNA haplotypes similarly showed that P. brachytyla from the southern distribution nested within the P. likiangensis species complex, whereas haplotypes for the northern distribution comprised a separate and well‐supported lineage. These results suggest that P. brachytyla from the southern distribution is a part of the P. likiangensis species complex and should be removed from P. brachytyla . Our study highlights the utility of population genetic evidence in delimitating endangered species and understanding the conservation status of such species.